September 12, 2006

Spivey is Johnston County director

Bryant M. Spivey, a long-time North Carolina Cooperative Extension agent, has been named director of Cooperative Extension’s program in Johnston County.

His appointment, effective November 1, was announced by Dr. Jon Ort, assistant vice chancellor, associate dean and director of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service at North Carolina State University, and Rick Hester, Johnston County manager.

Spivey succeeds Kenneth Bateman, who retired in June after holding the county director’s position for 33 years.

Spivey has been with Cooperative Extension since 1994 in Onslow, Duplin and Pender counties. Before that, he was assistant farm manager for Preston Monds and Son Inc. at Tyner, N.C.

He holds two degrees from N.C. State, a 1993 bachelor’s with a concentration in crop science and a 2001 master’s in crop science. While working on his master’s, he was awarded a Phillip Morris Graduate Fellowship in 1998. He participated in the Phillip Morris Agricultural Leadership Development Program from 2002 to 2004.

Spivey has received numerous agriculture-related awards, including the Lois G. Britt Outstanding Extension Agent Award in 2003 and the Charles M. Brickhouse Award in 2001, also from Extension. Also: the Certified Crop Adviser Excellence Award from the N.C. Farm Bureau in 2002, the National Association of County Agricultural Agents’ award for 1999 (in 2000) and the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina’s N.C. Extension Tobacco Agent of the Year Award in 1999.

“Bryant Spivey brings a strong agricultural background to the Johnston County extension staff, ” said Dr. Donald Cobb, North Central District Extension director. “He possesses strong leadership skills that will be useful in working with the staff to address changes taking place across the county. He is well respected by his peers and we are fortunate to have him come to Johnston County.”